1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a framework and architecture for integrating Rich Communications Services (RCS) functionalities into client devices, such as, inter alia, smart phones and tablet computers, leveraging the standards RCS, IR.92, IR.94, and Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS).
RCS is a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Association (GSMA) initiative to define mobile applications and services providing interoperable, convergent, rich communication experiences, including voice, video, messaging, presence, capabilities, content sharing, and other forms of communication, while supporting legacy functionality such as voice and Short Message Service (SMS).
IP Multimedia Subsystem or IMS is a standardized Next Generation Networking (NGN) architecture for telecom operators that want to provide mobile and fixed multimedia services. It uses Voice-over-IP (VoIP) implementation based on a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standardized implementation of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and runs over the standard Internet Protocol (IP). Existing phone systems, both packet and switched, are supported.
The GSM Association (GSMA) has defined the industrial standard, IR.92, “IMS Profile for Voice and SMS”, and IR.94 to add video, both of which are incorporated herein by reference and apply to this disclosure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The core of a typical mobile terminal (phone, device) includes a modem (Long Term Evolution (LTE), Third Generation (3G), or a combination of both LTE and 3G and an application processor. A 3G modem includes Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) modem or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) modem. User control of the mobile terminal is provided by software running on the application processor. Control of the modem by the software on the application processor is traditionally carried out through the “AT” command strings. For example, to dial the phone number: 1-805-555-1212, an application sends the modem the string; “ATD 18055551212;”, which instructs the modem to initiate a circuit switched call (Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)).
Please refer to FIG. 1, which illustrates typical software architecture on the application processor 110 inside a mobile terminal 100. The software architecture executed by the application processor 110 may include a Phone Dialer 120 (also referred to as Dialer application 120), a Short Message Service (SMS) Application 115, a Telephony Manager 130, an SMS Manager 125, a Radio Interface Layer (RIL) 101, and a Modem Driver 104 to operate the Modem 160.
As an example, when the user initiates a call or sends an SMS via the Phone Dialer 120 or SMS application 115 program, the Telephony Manager 130 issues a command to the Radio Interface Layer 101. The Radio Interface Layer 101 turns the command into an AT command. The RIL 101 may pass that message directly to the modem driver 104, or it may process the string and provide a different message to the modem driver 104, which will affect the required modem 160 functions.